1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to television systems with remote control units, and more specifically to adaptation of a television set to operate with a remote control unit.
2. Background Art
Virtually all television sets are now supplied with wireless remote control units whereby a user may operate the various controls of the television set without being in immediate proximity to the television set. These remote control units communicate via a one-way wireless link to their television sets. The link is one-way in that the remote control unit contains only a transmitter and not a receiver. The wireless link may communicate via e.g. radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), or other means.
A few “universal” remote control units have been known to be equipped with a transmitter for sending signals to the television, as well as a receiver for receiving signals from another remote control. This enables the universal remote to learn how to emulate the other remote control unit, by associating particular buttons with digital values transmitted by the other remote when corresponding buttons are pressed by the user. Thereafter, the user can use the universal remote to control the appliance (DVD player, stereo, what have you) which came with the other remote, which can now be put in a drawer and forgotten.
Some universal remotes are pre-programmed to emulate any of a large number of different remote control units, typically the most popular models from the major manufacturers. These units typically come with a user's manual instructing the user to select a code set identifier from a list, according to the brand of television to be associated with the universal remote. Typically, the codes are sorted in order of greatest likelihood, according to the sales volumes of the respective models. The user presses some predetermined key sequence, setting the remote control unit into a programming mode, then selects the code set identifier from the list and enters it via the numerical keys of the remote control unit. The user then presses one or more television control buttons on the remote control unit, such as the power button, the channel up and down buttons, and so forth, attempting to ascertain whether the selected code set is correct for that particular model of television set. If not, he repeats the process until he finds the correct code set or he exhausts the possibilities. Often, especially with off-brand television sets or with newly-introduced models, the universal remote control unit is simply not pre-programmed with the correct code set, and cannot be used to operate the television set.
What is desirable, then, is an improved system and method for associating a remote control unit with a television set.